Stripped Defenseless (24 page)

Kade
drew out a breath. It was obvious Lucy had been undercover all this time. Shit.

Ava
caressed his jaw with her tiny hands and looked into his eyes. “What are they
talking about? You didn’t do anything. Zack did.”

“It’s
okay,” he said, as calmly as possible. “I’ll handle this.” Whatever it takes.
He kissed her lips and watched helplessly as the policemen grabbed her from his
arms. “No matter what happens, don’t forget I love you, okay?”

Her
mouth fell open and her eyes narrowed with bewilderment. They had her by her
arms, forcing her out of the room.

“Don’t
forget!” he yelled again and then dropped his head into his hands. It was time
to face the music.

* * * * *

Jax
pulled back and watched as the truck in front of him lost all control and
slammed into the ditch on the side of the road. Hell, all he wanted to do was
get the goddamn money, not kill the feisty little tramp.

He
eased his truck to a complete stop and slid out, waiting to see if there was
any movement in the wreckage. He wouldn’t be surprised if the woman tried to
run off through the snow with the case in hand. She was a complete nutcase as
far as Jax could tell. Adorably sexy, but crazy.

The
truck had dropped rear first into the ditch. The cab stuck out a couple of feet
from the road. He pulled himself up and opened the passenger side door. Inside,
Poppy was slumped over. Her eyes were closed.

He
slid into the seat, threw the briefcase to the floor, and checked her pulse.
Steady.
Good. She’s not dead.
And there wasn’t any blood to be seen. She
must have just passed out. Not that he cared. Why would he? She was just
another woman, and as far as he was concerned women were nothing but trouble.

Jax
skimmed his fingers down the lining of his jacket, which still covered her
body. He took in the sight of her full breasts. Plump with rosy nipples. He had
forced himself not to check her out earlier when she’d practically shoved them
in his face. But now there was something so appetizing about her.

It
was impressive how she’d taken on Moreno and come out with the case full of
money. He hadn’t counted on her coming out alive at all. But she had and here
she was. Right in front of him. Breathing. Her chest expanding while her ample
breasts rose and fell.

The
urge to feel her soft skin overwhelmed him, and he reached out and caressed her
supple flesh. Her eyes fluttered open, catching him in the act. But she didn’t
stop him.

Instead,
she grinned. “You didn’t take the money,” she whispered.

“No,”
he said, only then remembering why he’d tracked her down to begin with.

She
sat up and stared at his lips. Her sensual green eyes devoured him for a
moment. Jax grew hard in his jeans and smiled at her, letting himself think of
all the fun he could have with her curvy little body.

* * * * *

Poppy
jerked her eyes away from Jax’s alluring stare, taking in the situation she’d
gotten herself into. The truck was totaled. There was a bump on her head, a
hand on her breast, and a massive bulge in his jeans. “I think I need a ride,”
she said, happy he hadn’t taken the case and left her stranded. And thrilled
the gorgeous man had finally noticed her assets.

“Well,
then...” Jax squeezed her flesh in the palm of his large, rough hand. “I’d be
more than happy to give you one.”

What
a gentleman.

Poppy
wrapped a leg around him to straddle his lap. Could it be Poppy Q. Smith found
herself the man of her dreams
and
the money to buy her house on Bluebird
Street?

Her
mama would be so proud.

* * * * *

After
hours of questioning, Ava slouched down in the wooden chair in the cold, bland
interrogation room and took a deep breath.

“No,
Kade Gavin did not kidnap me,” she repeated for the hundredth time. “Yes, I was
free to leave if I had chosen to.” And “No, I do
not
want to press
charges.”

It
was mostly lies, but she didn’t care. All she wanted was her life back with
Kade in it, and she’d do or say anything to get it.
Where was he?

The
bald-headed man with the mustache who had been questioning her took yet another
loud slurp of his coffee and then set it down. “Well, then, Miss Lureau, you
realize if he’s set free, we can’t offer you protection from him?”

“I
don’t need
protection
from him.” She grinned. If she told the man what
she desired from Kade, he’d surely want to add a bolder ingredient to his java.

“I
see. You do understand we’ve had our eye on this particular man for quite some
time. He’s a dangerous person. We just haven’t had enough proof to lock him up
yet.”

“And
you won’t get any more evidence from me. He saved my life, Officer―”
Whatever-the-hell-his-last-name-was. It didn’t matter. “And I’d like nothing
more than to see him so I can thank him properly.”

The
door opened and Lucy stepped in wearing a knee length skirt and matching coat
with a silk chamois underneath. Her hair was up in a tight bun. Mauve lipstick.

It
didn’t look like the same woman Ava had met at Kade’s cabin. But she was. And
she was avoiding Ava’s stare. “Officer Kingsley, can I speak to you for a
moment?”

Who
the hell
was
this woman? And what was she up to? Ava wondered if Kade
knew her true identity.

After
Lucy whispered to Officer Baldy, he shrugged and took a seat in the corner of
the room.

Lucy
turned to Ava and nodded. “You’re free to go, Miss Lureau.”

Ava
stood and adjusted Kade’s white cotton shirt to cover herself as much as
possible. The scent of fresh mountain air wafted up into her nose. “What about
Kade? Where is he?”

Lucy
shut the door behind her and took a few steps toward Ava. “Sit down.”

Ava
didn’t like the look on the woman’s face. Solemn and grave, not snide like it
had been before. Ava sat but didn’t take her eyes off Lucy. “Where’s Kade? I
want to see him right now.”

“I’m
sorry, but I’m afraid he’s dead.”

“What?”
It couldn’t be true. She was lying. The bitch was screwing with her mind. What
kind of interrogation tactic was this?

Lucy’s
face seemed to pale as she straightened her shoulders. “I was forced to shoot
him when he attempted an escape by grabbing at my gun.”

“That’s
bullshit,” Ava bellowed. “Why are you doing this? Who the hell are you?”

The
woman turned to the cop and gestured for him to leave. He nodded and obeyed.

Good.
She was alone with the wench. Maybe now Ava could get some real answers.

Lucy
took the idiot cop’s seat and looked over the table at Ava. Certain sincerity
blanketed across her stunning face but Ava wasn’t fooled.

“What
have you done with him?”

“I’ve
been working undercover for quite some time, so I know all about Kade Gavin
drugging and kidnapping you.”

“He
didn’t—”

“And
I know about Mr. Moreno paying to have you found.”

“Just
tell me where Kade is.”

“You’re
lucky to be alive. You understand that, right?”

“Who
are you?” Ava finally asked.

“I’m
Special Agent Lucy Keller. And I’m not here to hurt you. I think the best thing
for you to do is to go home and get back into your regular routine.”

“My
regular routine? I don’t—”

The
woman put her hand up and stopped Ava from going on. “Forget about Moreno.
Forget about Kade.”

“I
won’t forget about Kade. I love him, and I want him back.” Ava searched the
woman’s heavily made up eyes for something...anything that said she was lying.

There
was nothing but blank expression on her face.

“Tell
me where he is,” Ava pleaded, losing control. It didn’t make sense. Kade couldn’t
possibly be dead.

Lucy
slammed her hand on the table and looked Ava directly in the eyes. “Kade Gavin
is dead,” she said pointedly. “Move on.”

Chapter Fourteen

Kade
sat on the couch in the tiny living room of Ava’s apartment and stared over
Lucy’s shoulder at the front door. “When is she supposed to be home?” he asked
anxiously as he ran his fingers over Raven’s fur.

Six
months had passed since he had last seen Ava. Six excruciatingly lonely months.
But Lucy had insisted he wait that long to make sure there wasn’t a threat of
retaliation from Senator Wadsley or any of the men working under him. Moreno
had been his top man, the guy who had done all the dirty work. And now he was
deceased with Kade to blame.

The
long list of wrongs Lucy had on Kade gave him no choice other than do as they
said to avoid prison time. Including agreeing to play dead until the FBI
collected enough evidence against Wadsley to take him down.

Kade
Gavin no longer existed. Kaden Thompson did. He hoped Ava liked the new last name
since it would be hers soon, too. That is, if she agreed to marry him.

“Any
minute. She works in a battered women’s shelter on the weekend, but our
surveillance team informed me she usually arrives home by seven.”

Kade
looked at the clock on the wall. Five past the hour.

He
swallowed down his anxiety and took yet another look around the small
apartment. The Ava he
didn’t
know lived here, but somehow it felt
familiar. Veterinary textbooks spread across the secondhand coffee table. His
cat that she’d kept purred at his fingertips. A pink, loosely knitted sweater
lay on the couch beside him. He scooped it up and inhaled the fruity scent
before setting it back down.

“Think
she’ll recognize me?” He ran a hand over the stubble on his head. He’d kept it
shaved, and it was just now growing back.

Lucy
chuckled and gave him the once over. “It’s not like you’ve had plastic surgery.
Geez, Kade, you’ve got it bad. It really is pathetic.” She tossed a manila
folder onto the table between them and stood. “Birth certificate, social
security card, driver’s license—they’re all in there.”

“Thanks.”
Kade didn’t bother picking it up. His mind wouldn’t be able to register
anything other than the thought of pulling Ava into his arms and onto the bed.
Thankfully, he finally had that choice. “I appreciate you going up to bat for
me, Luce.”

She
shot him a sly grin as she stood and headed for the door. “Why wouldn’t I?
You’re a good man, Kade. And a talented investigator. You’ll more than make it
up to me after you complete your training and show everyone at the force what
you’re made of.”

A
new name, a new career, a fresh start—it was all coming together. And he
couldn’t wait to share it all with Ava.
Where was she?

* * * * *

At
a quarter past ten, Ava walked up the steps to her apartment. Her friends and
co-workers from the shelter had convinced her to finally go out for drinks and
dancing. Their intentions were good. But after two and a half hours of being
hit on by men who weren’t Kade, Ava was done.

It
was too soon. His image was still fresh in her mind. Light blue eyes that
easily switched from ice cold to a warm pale hue. Broad shoulders that were
intimidating to others but made her feel secure. Muscular arms that could
completely engulf her body to make her think she was the luckiest woman on the
planet.

The
ripped stomach muscles that traveled down—

Ava
shook the thought from her mind.
He’s gone.
Six months had passed, long
enough for her to accept reality. Too bad it wasn’t that easy.

She
shoved her key in the door, but the deadbolt turned too easily. She reflected
back to that morning. Had she remembered to lock it? It was hard to tell. Her
mind was useless ever since...since she’d lost Kade.

Ava
twisted the door knob slowly and pushed. The lights were off so she reached and
flicked the switch, illuminating the living room. Raven slept lazily at the
foot of the couch. Nothing seemed to be to be bothering her. Not that it would.
The cat was the sweetest animal Ava had ever come across. And she was the only
memento that bitch, Lucy, had let her keep from Kade’s cabin.

After
closing the door behind her, Ava swept a long glance over the apartment.
Everything was in its place except for a folder sitting on the coffee table.
That was odd. She was sure she’d remember putting something like that there.

Someone
had been here. Or still was.

She
went to see what the file contained. But stopped short when she heard the
shower running in the bathroom.

A
surge of fear shot through her, standing her arm hairs on end. No one had a key
to her apartment. And she’d just left every friend she had in the world at the
bar.

There
was a stranger in her home.

Moreno
was dead, but there was nothing to keep one of his buddies from trying to take
his place. Ava had been afraid of retaliation. That’s why she had purchased a
gun.